A Story of Fashion Revolution: the initiative that challenges the cost of fashion

This paper aims to give insight into how stories can be used to inspire a positive change in habits, attitude and mindset, resulting in micro to macro trans-global engagement between fashion stakeholders. It examines how the strategy of putting storied content in the hands of consumers can incite grass-roots movement and a change in mindset, energizing contemporary fashion dialogues.

This paper draws from a unique educational 'live brief' designed in collaboration with the initiative Fashion Revolution in which 65 degree-level students were tasked to create pro-fashion content. The learning process involved exploring the initiative's position as a pioneer and disruptor within the industry. Fashion Revolution was established in response to the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh in April 2013 which killed 1,134 people. Its mission is to inspire a global sustainable movement: to encourage brands to care about the cost of fashion, transparency, and accountability within the supply chain; and for consumers to become pro-fashion protestors who actively engage through hashtag campaigns. This study provides insight in how design education can be used to illuminate contemporary understanding and motivate consumers to question the cost of fashion.